Kaiapoi to Auckland on a bucket!

[Damien_Toman]

I bought a Suzuki FXR150 on Trademe for bucket racing and flew down to Christchurch to pick it up then ride it back to Auckland. I planned to go back via Hastings to do the Roy's Hill bucket race event on Sunday 4 Oct 2009. The drain plug was drilled, the catch bottle was in place and I had the tools in my bum-bag to remove the number plate and tape up the lights. Unfortunately the racing did not happen and the Napier-Taupo leg was rather cold (sleet - a couple of hours before the road was closed due to deep snow) but overall a great trip. Here a few of my 1900 photos from the 1200 km trip (mostly taken from my 21MP chestcam rig with handlebar wireless remote).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dty1/se...7622520101836/

Damien

[UNSTABLE]

Ha ha, on the way home on Sunday I saw a little bike in the rearview, and a few moments later past goes a little blue and yellow FXR loaded up with gear, just about on the rev limiter!!! Good stuff, must have been a hell of a trip.
What time did you go through the Napier-Taupo road? We got through shortly before they closed it and it was really dangerous even in a car!!!

[Buckets4Me]

good on ya
I always get someone els to bring the buckets back in a van

thats got to be the best way
if not the coldest

[gav]

Awesome effort! Hope you're going to ride back down for Battle of the Buckets in Dec?

[Mudflaps]

Great trip!!I used to have one of these babies too! And I used to love doing the long hauls on it. It used to go great, but it was a bit more of a "ride" cause you don't have stacks of power to get you up big hills and to burn past cars whenever you wanted We did a few "two up" missions too, from Auckland to Palmy and back. Good times. Looks like you had a great time.

[Damien_Toman]

Ha ha, on the way home on Sunday I saw a little bike in the rearview, and a few moments later past goes a little blue and yellow FXR loaded up with gear, just about on the rev limiter!!! Good stuff, must have been a hell of a trip.
What time did you go through the Napier-Taupo road? We got through shortly before they closed it and it was really dangerous even in a car!!!

I joined the Napier-Taupo road at 11:08am and arrived in Taupo at 12:40pm (details captured on the GPS). The sleet was falling hard in the hills but the roads were just wet. I had a 12-tooth on the front ready for racing so I was riding between 11.5k and 12.5k rpm (red line). It can clock 138kph, which is actually 118kph, holding it on the limiter .

Damien

[Trudes]

Epic! Good on ya! You'll be well set for the endurance races and the BOB when they run them in shit whether!

[Damien_Toman]

I've had the perfect training! It will of course be sunny

[Damien_Toman]

Awesome effort! Hope you're going to ride back down for Battle of the Buckets in Dec?

Is that the Greymouth race? I'd love to do that some day. This year? Maybe.

[gav]

No Greymouth Street Races are Labour Weekend, too late to enter that.

Heres the info for Battle of Buckets, December this year.
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...d.php?t=102434

[Henk]

Is that the Greymouth race? I'd love to do that some day. This year? Maybe.

Mt welly mission to the mainland next year maybe? I'd probably be keen.

[Damien_Toman]

Would be fun. We have plenty of time. I should get a few races under my belt before I make too many plans.

[Henk]

And I'll have time to either get my bike going properly or upgrade.
Looking forward to next weekend already, not sure about the 2 hour in November though, doubt I'll manage to qualify somehow.

[DELLORTO]

do you have to qualify for the 2 hour??

[bucketracer]

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Yes, but its not too hard. There is the 2-Hour and a shorter race, Qualifying times are usually well within the grasp of mid pack B graders if they want it. Lots of past riders turn up to partner in the 2-hour and qualifying is more about safety and limiting the grid to something manageable. The 2-Hour can be rough and qualifying is as much about good riding attitude and composure as lap times.

Me....I am going to be a flag marshal.

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